History has been made at East Devon Golf Club as a woman has become the Club Captain for the first time since the Club’s formation 120 years ago.

Judy Murray officially drove in as Club Captain in front of enthusiastic Club members gathered on the clubhouse patio.

The annual ‘drive in’ sees the incoming Club Captain taking their first drive at the start of their captaincy year alongside the Men’s Captain, Ladies Captain and Captains of the Seniors, Juniors and Town Club.

On becoming Club Captain, Judy said: “I am both honoured and proud to have been asked to be Club Captain and, to paraphrase Kamala Harris, the first female vice president of the United States of America, I may be the first woman to hold this office at East Devon but I will not be the last.

"I want to thank Ray, Carole and Graham for all their hard work in 2021, there were some difficult moments but they came through it all with such good humour. I look forward to working with Barbara, Kevin and the Captains Committee this year and let’s hope we can get back to a normality we are all familiar and comfortable with and enjoy our golf.”

This year the captains’ have chosen to raise money for local charity Pete’s Dragons based in Exmouth. The charity helps people living through the suicide of a loved one.

Matt Merriam, Director of Therapeutic Services at Pete's Dragons said: “Let me begin by expressing our massive gratitude to East Devon Golf Club for choosing us as their charity of the year. It will make such a difference to the people we support who have had someone they love die by suicide.

“Thank you so much to East Devon Golf Club for helping us bring the power of maybe, the power of hope into the lives of people who desperately need it.”

In a long-held tradition the members dug deep to guess how far each of the Captains’ drives went and, in doing so, getting the fundraising off to a great start with £305 raised on the day.